USDA Team,

As you may have seen, yesterday the Centers for Disease Control announced Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Consistent with that guidance, this email provides immediate updates to federal workplace COVID-19 safety guidance. Additional updates, including updated Model Safety Principles from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, are forthcoming.

These changes are responsive to what is now known about the Delta variant, which accounts for over 80% of all new cases in the country. The Delta variant is as much as 60% more contagious than the Alpha variant, which was already 50% more transmissible than the original strain of the coronavirus.

This updated CDC guidance means our employees, on-site contractors, partners, volunteers, customers and visitors in areas of “substantial” or “high” community COVID-19 transmission are required to wear a mask in federal buildings and government-owned or leased vehicles regardless of vaccination status. Managers and employees should utilize the CDC COVID Data Tracker website to determine whether they are located in one of these areas. In the days ahead, USDA will update signs and post information online and on agency websites indicating what masking requirements apply in each federal facility.

Practically speaking, the CDC guidance and the highly contagious Delta variant makes clear that masking indoors is the best practice and the safest thing to do.

As a reminder, all individuals who are not fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past the final dose) are required to wear a mask and practice physical distancing in federal buildings, government-owned or leased vehicles, and on federal property.

Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to appropriate administrative action.

I want to assure you that this change is based on the best available science and the goal of protecting the health and safety of our workforce. I also want to emphasize that all three of the vaccines available in the U.S. remain effective against serious infection or death from COVID-19, including the Delta variant. So, if you have not yet received your vaccination, I strongly encourage you to do so to protect yourself, your loved ones, your community and help us to put this pandemic in our rear-view mirror.
Until further notice, we will continue to work towards our goal of phasing employees, who have been working remotely since the start of the pandemic, back to the physical workplace beginning on Oct. 1.

Thank you for your patience in getting us to this point. If you have concerns or questions, please reach out to your pandemic coordinator.

Secretary Vilsack